Not Pictured:Charles Mitchell - P, Leonard Folk, N and James Zeiner - WG*Not original crew members

(Photo: Don Peters)

Completed Tour

MitchellCrew

Rank

Name

Serial #

Pos

Date

Status

Comments

1Lt

Charles E Mitchell

01998583

Pilot

May-45

CT

Awards - Distinguished Flying Cross

1Lt

Raymond Peters

01998585

Co-pilot

26-Apr-45

CT

Suspended fr flying AAF Reg 35-16

1Lt

Leonard Folk

0722833

Navigator

18-Feb-45

UNK

Rest Home Leave

1Lt

Robert L Weiler

0772904

Bombardier

22-Mar-45

UNK

Air Crew Leave

T/Sgt

James H Summey

18160978

Radio Operator

Apr-45

CT

Trsf to 70RD - Tour Complete

T/Sgt

Claude H McConnell

34735551

Flight Engineer

Apr-45

CT

Trsf to 70RD - Tour Complete

S/Sgt

William O Dotschkal

33618503

Aerial Gunner

Apr-45

CT

Trsf to 70RD - Tour Complete

S/Sgt

Milton L Jakobowitz

12177238

Aerial Gunner

May-45

CT

Trsf to 70RD - Tour Complete

S/Sgt

William A Matthews

18229122

Aerial Gunner

May-45

CT

Trsf to 70RD - Tour Complete

Sgt

James K Zeiner

13153712

Aerial Gunner

23-Oct-44

UNK

Trsf to 754th Sqdn

The Mitchell Crew was originally
assigned to the 755th Squadron upon arriving at the 458th on August 9,
1944. They flew their first mission on the 24th, then three more to Germany before the 458th was pulled off of operations to participate in the Truckin' missions,
hauling gas to Patton's army in September 1944. The Group resumed combat flying in October, and Mitchell and crew flew four missions by mid-month when they were transferred to the 754th Squadron.

In Decemeber they were transferred back tot he 755th to be a lead crew, flying as deputy lead in the thrid squadron on the 28th. They did not fly another lead mission until the Group's mission to Peine on February 22, 1945. After that they finished out their tour as a lead crew. On the March 18th trip to Berlin, the crew suffered battle damage and were forced to land in Belgium (see below). Most of the crew completed their required mission in early April and were either sent to the State or reassigned.

The crew picture above was taken at Horsham St Faith in front of a 755th Squadron Liberator Oh Mona!. Judging by the ribbons the men are wearing, it was most likely taken in the early Spring of 1945. The two navigators pictured were not original crew members. 1Lt Ward L. Whaley was assigned the previous August with the crew of 2Lt Frank A. Josephson. While Josephson and crew remained in the 752nd during their time with the 458th, Whaley was trained as a Radar Navigator and flew with lead crews. 1Lt Glenn C. Allen was originally
assigned to the 755th Squadron on July 31, 1944 on the crew of 2Lt William R.
Frederick. On September 9, 1944, Frederick and crew went on a
cross-country night mission and crashed near Petersborough, England,
killing seven of the nine men aboard. Allen and the bombardier, 2Lt
Jack R. Hibbs were able to parachute to safety.

Missions

MitchellMissions

Date

Target

458th
Msn

Pilot
Msn

Cmd
Pilot

Ld

Serial

RCL

Sqdn

A/C
Msn

A/C Name

Comments

24-Aug-44

HANNOVER

117

1

42-95316

N

J3

40

PRINCESS PAT

26-Aug-44

DULMEN

120

2

42-95316

N

J3

42

PRINCESS PAT

05-Sep-44

KARLSRUHE

122

3

42-100311

P

7V

47

YOKUM BOY

09-Sep-44

MAINZ

124

4

41-29303

H

Z5

40

LIBERTY LIB

20-Sep-44

HSF
to CLASTRES

TR04

--

42-94952

A

GJ

T2

SHACK
RAT

ON
LOAN TRUCKIN' 44BG

22-Sep-44

HSF
to LILLE

TR06

--

42-52441

I

J3

T5

LAST
CARD LOUIE

CARGO

28-Sep-44

HSF
to LILLE

TR11

--

41-29551

H

389BG

T1

NOT
458TH SHIP

2ND
FLIGHT

28-Sep-44

HSF
to LILLE

TR11

--

41-29301

Z

453BG

T2

VAMPIN'
VERA

1ST
FLIGHT

29-Sep-44

HSF
to LILLE

TR12

--

41-29551

389BG

T2

NOT
458TH SHIP

TRUCKIN'
MISSION

30-Sep-44

HSF
to LILLE

TR13

--

42-99997

P

44BG

T11

NOT
458TH SHIP

TRUCKIN'
MISSION

03-Oct-44

GAGGENAU

127

5

42-51179

P

J3

37

DUSTY'S DOUBLE TROUBLE

06-Oct-44

WENZENDORF

129

6

42-51206

S

J3

2

THE PIED PIPER

07-Oct-44

MAGDEBURG

130

7

44-40475

D

J3

4

JOLLY ROGER

19-Oct-44

MAINZ

136

8

42-95183

U

J3

49

BRINEY MARLIN

02-Nov-44

BIELEFELD

140

9

42-51196

Q

J3

8

THE GYPSY QUEEN

04-Nov-44

MISBURG

141

10

42-110070

K

Z5

43

ELMER

30-Nov-44

HOMBURG

151

11

--

--

--

--

No FC - Sqdn Rec's

24-Dec-44

SCHONECKEN

157

12

42-50504

S

J3

15

UNKNOWN 019

28-Dec-44

ST.
WENDEL

160

13

PHILLIP

D3

44-10487

R

J3

24

Girl
on surfboard (no name)

30-Dec-44

NEUWIED

161

MSHL

--

--

--

--

MARSHALING
CHIEF

02-Jan-45

REMAGEN

164

14

42-50499

U

J3

24

COOKIE/OPEN POST

07-Jan-45

RASTATT

166

15

42-50499

U

J3

25

COOKIE/OPEN POST

28-Jan-45

DORTMUND

174

16

42-50504

S

J3

18

UNKNOWN 019

29-Jan-45

MUNSTER

175

17

42-50608

W

J3

20

FILTHY McNAUGHTY

08-Feb-45

RHEINE
M/Y

REC

--

42-50516

V

J3

--

STARDUST

RECALL
- WEATHER

09-Feb-45

MAGDEBURG

179

ABT

42-50504

S

J3

--

UNKNOWN
019

#1
SUPER CHGR INOP

14-Feb-45

MAGDEBURG

181

NTO

42-50516

V

J3

--

STARDUST

THROTTLE
LINKAGE BROKEN

21-Feb-45

NUREMBERG

185

18

42-50516

V

J3

20

STARDUST

REPLACED 575

22-Feb-45

PEINE-HILDESHEIM

186

19

GOODFRIEND

L3

42-50516

V

J3

21

STARDUST

25-Feb-45

SCHWABISCH-HALL

189

20

WILLIAMS

L2

42-50740

Q

J3

24

OUR BURMA

27-Feb-45

HALLE

191

21

BRECKENRIDGE

L3

42-51743

F

J3

17

UNKNOWN 006

02-Mar-45

MAGDEBURG

194

22

GARDNER

L3

42-95557

H

J3

26

LADY PEACE

04-Mar-45

STUTTGART

196

23

L3

42-50504

S

J3

26

UNKNOWN 019

REPLACED 837

09-Mar-45

OSNABRUCK

200

24

BLACK

L3

42-95628

K

J3

16

UNKNOWN 038

15-Mar-45

ZOSSEN

204

25

L2

42-51939

G

J3

25

UNKNOWN 028

REPLACED 557

18-Mar-45

BERLIN

206

26

L3

42-50684

B

J3

14

A&G
FISH SHOPPE

EMERG
LAND BELG B-58

02-Apr-45

TIRSTROP

ABN

--

L2

42-95557

H

J3

--

LADY
PEACE

ABANDONED

04-Apr-45

PERLEBERG

217

27

L2

42-95557

H

J3

44

LADY PEACE

07-Apr-45

KRUMMEL

220

28

L4

42-51939

G

J3

31

UNKNOWN 028

FLYING w/466TH "C" GRP

10-Apr-45

RECHLIN/LARZ

223

29

44-49910

D

J3

7

UNKNOWN 044

B-24JSH-1-FO 42-50684 J3 D A&G Fish Shoppe

March 18, 1945

Co-pilot Ray Peters

The most memorable mission was on March 18, 1945. Target Berlin. 3700
gallons of fuel, 4x2000 pounders. Other missions they had taken several
hundred flak holes to the plane, surface damage, and even the loss of
most of one of the vertical rudders. On this flight they took only
three hits, but they counted!

They were flying a ship named The
A&G Fish Shoppe, approaching the target at 19000 ft. The flak
started as they got over the target area. They dropped their load.
Then shortly they felt a "lift" - flak. They had taken three hits. One
to the #3 engine, which hit the oil line inside. Two other hits
through the bomb bay. One wiped out the hydraulic lines, the other took
out the bundle of electrical wires.

The #3 engine ran out of oil and the
engine "froze". The hydraulic lines had been cut, so they were unable
to feather the prop. Eventually it started to "windmill" backwards and
started to send vibrations throughout the ship. All this was going on
while there was still flak going off and bouncing them around. The
vibrations worsened, they were losing control of the plane and they
dropped out of formation. They regained control to a degree and came
out of the bomb run at 9000 ft. Dad,who had been bothered by Claude the
whole time finally turned to him and said "what?". Claude responded by
saying "here" and held up one end of the electrical wire bundle. Dad
said it was fanned out and looked just like a giant bouquet of flowers.
Then looking down, he noticed most of the control panel was dead. Some
basic dials were working as Claude had started the putt-putt and was
able to get some electrical power to the plane. The #3 engine had the
electrical generator, so no engine meant no power. Meanwhile the plane
was vibrating even worse than before. Mitch gave the order to bail
out. Claude said, "I can`t". Mitch said, "why?". Claude answered, "My
chute is soaked with hydraulic oil!". Mitch said, "Alright, I'm
staying". And one by one all the crew said the same.

The propeller was windmilling faster and
faster when all of a sudden it twisted itself off from the plane. The
good news was that the vibrating stopped and they regained full control
of the plane. The bad news was what Dad saw outside his window. There,
just a few feet from him, was an 8 foot propeller flying loose in
"formation" with the plane. It was caught in the wing's slip stream and
just seemed to bob and float along with them. At the time it seemed
forever, but shortly the tip of the prop hit the side of the plane just
below Dad's feet, cutting through the fuselage and banging on the
cockpit's armor decking, (Dad's legs eventually turned black and blue
from his knees on down) past the feet of the kneeling bombardier
navigator, leaving a 3-1/2 foot by 11 foot gash in the bottom of the
plane.

Meanwhile, most of the
crew was in the waist. Claude had gone up front to get some maps for
the navigator.(Mitch wanted to know where they were and have a
heading). The rest were tossing out all things un-needed to lighten the
plane. For the moment they had fighter protection as one of the
"Little Friends" had dropped down to protect them. A sight that brought
comfort to the crew. Eventually he had to leave them. They had plotted
the shortest course to Allied lines in Belgium.

The B-24 went its way - the fighter, his
way back to base. En-route they lost the #2 engine. They red-lined the
remaining two engines for almost two hours in order to make Belgium.
They were following some railroad tracks, when all of a sudden the air
filled with flak. They had passed over a train that had an 88 mounted
on a flat car and they were being shot at. Taking evasive maneuvers,
they avoided being hit.

Finally they crossed the allied lines
and they were looking for a place to set down. Then the #4 engine
started to act up. They remembered passing over a small airfield which
they had dismissed because of its size, but with the #4 engine acting as
though it was going to quit, small was better then none. They turned
and headed for the field. The #4 engine quit. They flew/glided with
one engine until they were within sight of the field.

Above: Mitchell and Peters in the cockpit

Then, upon approach, the #1 engine
quit. Before this had happened, Dad and another crew member had crawled
down into the nose wheel compartment and "hand threw" the nose gear out
into landing position. Claude and others had hand cranked down the
wing gear. Remember - no hydraulics. The rest of the crew had moved to
the waist and tail of the plane. Two of them had attached parachutes
to the side windows in preparation for braking action upon landing. So
now they were in a dead-stick situation - no power, no flaps, no brakes,
and a short muddy runway. The plane mushed in, touched down, and
everyone ran to the tail, keeping the nose up. The chutes were
deployed. The runway ran out and they plowed to a stop in a muddy
field. Everyone bailed out and ran from the plane fearing an
explosion. Nothing happened. They went back to the plane and waited
for help to arrive. They measured the fuel supply and found less then
50 gallons in the whole plane.

The crew was picked up by
allied troops and taken to an airfield, where four days later, they were
flown back to England. All Claude could remember about the landing was
seeing the Belgian peasants out the waist window. The thing that struck
him was that they were wearing cowhide coats of all colors and were
lined up and resting on the fence next to the runway, watching them
land.